We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hannah Alley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hannah below.

Hi Hannah, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I’ve been playing with the concept of opening up a retail space since I was in college. I interned at the coolest shop in Minneapolis called Parc Boutique and was offered the opportunity to learn the ropes of retail — from buying to merchandising to vendor relations. It was an experience of a lifetime where I really learned the art of retail and the nuances of running a successful business.

When I moved down to Phoenix, I began my climb up the corporate latter in marketing and began my Graduate Studies in social pedagogy

The idea of Gather was truly inspired by a desire to create community where I couldn’t find it elsewhere. I had moved to Phoenix just a few years earlier

A space where new, underrepresented and aspiring brands would have a space to expand and grow beyond our cozy shipping container.

Hannah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up in Wisconsin. The older I get, the more I realize what. a sense of pride I feel for the land that raised me.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

When Gather was first spoken into the Universe as a concept, we had only a few months to organize and open our business. The most important part of this entire project was the community and fostering a relationship with local creatives and artisans across Arizona.

To gather local artisans to join our community without a physical presence was a challenge. We reached out personally to local creatives whom we were most inspired by – some of which hadn’t yet developed a brand or ever sold their goods in a retail setting – sat down 1:1 with these folks and nurtured relationships. We learned about their creative process, what inspired them most, and what their goals were as a budding business. Just a month before opening, we hosted a gathering at Desoto Market for vendors could meet face-to-face and connect.

Offering Gather as a space to grow vendor’s social capital was something I really committed to — creating opportunities for local creatives and artisans to network together, which turns into more opportunities that stretch beyond our cozy little corner of The Churchill.

I think our reputation grew organically – and quickly – because artists and brands who were coming into Gather as brand new, never-sold-their-goods-before brands were becoming known in our community and continuing to expand. Seeing brands expand beyond Gather has been a great source of pride and also incredibly humbling.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

When Gather’s co-founder, my business partner and best friend decided to dissolve the partnership to pursue other ventures, I really thought I would end up closing Gather’s doors forever. It felt like a huge loss, especially considering the love and soul we had poured into creating Gather.

I doubted my ability to hold all the responsibilities of the business, to nurture the relationships, to maintain the creative energy required to run a small business. I felt abandoned by a friend and insecure with how to navigate our relationship beyond this decision. And, quite frankly, I felt uninspired and without a clear vision for Gather.

You know what? At times, I still doubt my abilities and still struggle to muster up inspiration – but each day is a choice to show up for myself and my business. Some days are easier than others, and when it’s not, I’m learning to have grace for myself. Through this process, I’ve learned how important it is to grief the old versions of myself and my business as I continue to stretch and expand the vision. Expanding doesn’t always feel good and so it’s necessary to pause and reflect with gratitude for the path of discovery.

The number of times I”ve wanted to quit over the past three years is unmeasurable. But I’m learning more and more about myself through this process – besides my Son, Gather is one of my greatest teachers. I keep coming back to my why… to create a space of opportunity for local artisans to grow and expand beyond our cozy 180 square foot shipping container.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gatherphx.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gatherphxshop/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Gatherphxshop/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/gatherphxshop/_shop/

Image Credits
Alexandra Cocca